Contractors to continue work on bypass through December

Desilva Gates and Flatiron construction advised CalTrans they were now planning to work a few more months. This change came after the CalTrans Resident Engineer Geoffrey Wright advised the Willits City Council Oct. 9 the contractors expected to finish buttoning up the project for the season by Oct. 18.

Flatiron Construction will continue to drive piles along the viaduct and expects, weather permitting, to finish installing about half the columns and footings supporting the new mile long viaduct by Dec. 1, says CalTrans spokesman Phil Frisbie. Flatiron has also requested a few week permit extension from the Regional Water Quality Control Board to allow additional work on structures and footings within the creeks. This request is based on the lack of flow currently in the creeks and an extended dry weather forecast. The bypass construction permits sets Oct. 15 as the last day work is allowed in creek zones.

DeSilva Gates Construction is now expecting to install the sub-base material in the southern end of the construction zone, working-again weather permitting, until November, says Frisbie.

Saturday, a group of more than 100 persons held a "Healing Water Ceremony" on the northern end of the Willits bypass construction zone. The day-long ceremony began on private property near the construction zone with speeches by celebrated tree-sitter Julia Butterfly-Hill, Sinkyone InterTribal Council Chair Pricilla Hunter, Madge Strong and the Amanda "Warbler" Senseman. A number of local musical groups provided entertainment for the crowd, seated upon straw bales.

The ceremony was initially expected to occur with an element of civil disobedience until CalTrans and the California Highway Patrol signed off Friday on an encroachment permit to allow the protest action to take place legally. The group paid for two CHP officers to escort the group safely across Highway 101 to the site of the ceremony.

The group formed a circle in the middle of the wick drain fields, where the future bypass interchange will be installed and poured water into the soil. The water was brought to the ceremony from springs around the region, according to Naomi Wagner of Redwood Nation Earth First!

"Destroying wetlands and sacred sites is not acceptable. We want Caltrans to vastly shrink the current design to protect the wetlands and Pomo historical sites. We're convinced it can still be done," said Wagner.